Hankins arrives in Korea, likely to start this week

Doosan's New Foreign Pitcher to Start This Week

Expectations for the Doosan Bears’ new foreign pitcher Derek Hankins are continuing to grow. Doosan manager Kim Jin-Wook said “Hankins won’t spend any time in the minors or pitching out of the bullpen. We expect him to start right away.” There is a strong possibility that he will get his first start this weekend against LG.

Hankins arrived in Korea on July 18, and the very next day, July 19, he met his manager, coaches, and teammates at Jamsil Stadium. Before he even got over the jetlag he was throwing in the bullpen, and made a few practice pitches to get a feel for the Jamsil Stadium mound. On July 22 Hankins went to Japan to receive his work visa, and was unable to practice with his new team. He will return to Korea and will be officially added to the roster on July 23.

Manager Kim Jin-Wook was more interested than anyone in Hankins performance, and watched attentively from the first pitch. At the Doosan team practice on July 22 Kim said “Hankins is eager and his form looks good. He hasn’t pitched in an actual game since July 6, but he has been pitching consistently in the bullpen. There aren’t any issues with his condition. He doesn’t need to spend any time in the minors or coming out of the bullpen. He is ready to start right away.”

Kim said, “After watching him pitch, he has plenty of ability. There is even some movement on his fastball right at the end. Above all, he has a clean motion, more like an Asian pitcher. The angle of his foot is great, and he holds on to the ball until the last moment. He is not a power pitcher. He has a quick delivery from the stretch, better than other foreign pitchers I have seen. At this point, the key for him is adapting and becoming comfortable on the mound.”